Flexible fluid-joint.



PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907.

' 0. G. HAWLEY.

FLEXIBLE FLUID JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, 1905.

2 sums-sum 1.

[nodular J V W PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. C. G. HAWLEY. l

. FLEXIBLE FLUID JOINT.

APPLIUATIQN FILED MAY 6, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEBT 2.

Inventor I To all whom it minty concern},

UNITED sr- TEsj PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, or OHIcAeO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, o THE "UNITED STATES FLEXIBLE JOINT COMPANY, OF .OIIIOAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF SOUTH DAKOTA FLEXIBLE FLUID-JOINT.

No. 840,325. I

Be it known that I, CHARLES -GILB]iIRT IIAWLEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resldent of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois,

have invented a certain new, useful, and Improved FleXi-ble Fluid Joint, of which the following is a'full, clear, and exact description,

ment of the ball-and-socket such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same My invention relates to ball-and-socket flexible joints for fluid pipes or conduits. In manyplaces such joints are required to withstand great pressure, and inthe case of a ball-and-socket joint of the ordinary construction the friction which is occasioned between the parts by the great internal pressure is such as to make the joint rigid and diiiicult inherent to all ball-and-socket oints which have internal retaining parts or, in other words, all joints in which the direct engageparts is 'deended I arts inproper reation. hese dilliculties ave lead to the invention and adoption of various ball and upon to hold said socket joints wherein externally-a1) lied de-? vices are provided for holding the all and socket members in engagement against the internal pressure which tends to separate said members. My invention has special reference to balland'-socket joints of the latter class; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, econonical, and durable all-joint for employment in highpressure pipes or conduits and which shall have external member joining or coupling means of ,such character as topermit any desired tumbling or oscillating movement of the joint members without disturbing the proper I relations of said members. i

and-socket joint for flui The invention consists ,dpi imarily, in a ballpipes or conduits comprisin asocket member in 'combination with'a balmember suitably seated'within said socket member, said socket member containing suitable packing; a ring or yoke pivotally arranged ,11 Q L,.S&1d socket member u on an axis WhlOll substantially includes t e center. of saidballmember, and a yoke I provided upon said ballmember and pivotally arranged upon said ring at right angles to the pivotal alps "of said ring,, whereby the Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

at the same time permitted" to swing oroscillate freely therein in all directions; and, further, my invention consists in various constructions and in combinations of parts,

ball may be held inlthe socket member 'and is l all as hereinafter described, and particularlyj I pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the accompanying tion, and in which' Figure 1 isalongitudinal elevation of a ball-and-socket joint embod 'n'g my invention, substantially one-half o the joint being shown in longitudinal section. Fig. 2 is a lan view of the-ball-and-socket joint; and ig. 3 is a view similar. to Fig. 1, showin' a somewhat different. method of 'acking 51$ joint. I

In carryin out my invention I provide a drawings, forming a part of this specifica.-,

socket mem er 2 and a ball member 3..

Both members are provided withfthreaded shanks 2 3', respectively, and the anembers are hollow to form a fiuid-conduit;

,The-ball portion of the ball member fits within the socket member and is preferably firmly seats f ed a ainst the annular socket-surfaced rib 4, whic I provide 11. on the interiorof the socket member. he lower part of the socket member contains a packing-cavity 5, which is filled with a suitable (preferably soft) packing 6. The packingis held in the recess by a follower-ring 7, and, when required, I provide a light expansible metal ring 8 on the inner side of the follower 7 to close the :joint that would otherwise permit the escape of the packing 6 between t e ball and the follower. Y

9 represents the grit and sediment cavity or groove in the inner wall of the socket member 2 between the ribs 4 and 4'.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the method of packing the joint may be modified to advantage b arranging the packing 6 directlybeneath t e internal rib 4 to engage the upper or lnner'part of the ball. In this case the lower end of the socket member is pro: vided with an internal thread 10 to receive a 101i sleeve-like-follower 11,, by which the pac 'ng 6 may be tightened around the ball.

The manner of closing the joint between the socket and ball members being now un- I derstood. I will describe the means which I prefer to employ for holding the members together. I

Each side of the socket member 2 is providedwith 'a'transverse stud or, trunnion 12, the axis of which passes through or includes. the centers of the socket and the ball. On these studs or trunnions I arrange a yoke or ring 13, which is provided with other studs ortrunnions 14 at right angles to the trunnions 12. I may swing or oscillate upon the socket member of the joint, and I connect the ring to the ball member by means of the yoke 15 on the shank 3" of the ball member.

" not be threadedj Though I may form the yoke integrallywith the ball member, I re fer to make these parts relatively adjusts 1e. '10 this end Iemploy one or more threaded collars or nutsl16 on the threaded shank of the ball member, by means of 'whichcollar the yoke may be secured in any'desired posie tionlon said shank. The ball and socket members being thus connected by parts which are adapted'to swing upon relatively perpendicular axes, it is obvious that saidmembers may swing or oscillate "with re spect .to each other without. disturbing the central arrangement of the ball within the socket. In making the joint I prefer to use a ring 13, of malleable metal. When first made, the ring is oblong, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and this is connectedto the socket member by pressing the sides of the ring inward over the trunnicns 12 and against the sides of the socket member. By forming the device in this manner I am able to avoid the use of retaining-screws, nuts, or pins. I similarly avoid the use of locking parts in the case of the yoke 1'5 by making the yokeof malleable metal and pressing the arms thereof inward upon the studsor trunnionsl lupon the ring, as-shown in Fig. 1'?

-, For security I prefer to provide the studs with enlarged heads 14" to prevent the yoke fromslippingofi' the studs. The ends of the oke have elongated openings or slots15 toadmit the enlarged heads of the ring-studs.

I prefer-that the socket member 2 shall have the shape of a ball in order that the diameter of the sw nging ring may be minimized.

' in the art.

All wear in. the joint maybe taken u --by means of the packi11gfoll0wer and the oaking collar or nut 16. Y

The 'adyantages of my novel ball-and socket joint w llbe apparent to those skilled As my invention is capable of embodiment in numerous other forms, I do not confine the invention to the specific constructions herein shown and described.

claim as new anddesireto secure by Letters e j 1. Ina ball-and-socket joint of the class It will be obvious that the ring The central" sleeve portion 15 of the yoke may .or may upon said trunnions, substantially as described V I.

2'. A ball and-socket joint of the class described, comprising asocket member, in com' bination with a ball member, a yoke upon said ball member, suitable packi g, firing between said socket member and said yoke and pivoted upon said socket member, and trunn1 ons upon said rim to engage said" yoke, sub- 'stantia lly as descr'i ed. I

' 3 In a: ball-and-socket joint-of the, class described, a, socket" member provided with trunnionsupon its sides, the airis of said trun= nions including the center of'the socket'in said trunnions-and' provided. with outwardly- Qpr'ojec'ting trunnions at ri htaugl'es thereto, a

ball member seated Within said socket member, and a yokeuponsaid'ball member, iv0tea upon the trunnions of said ring, su stantia-lly as described.

4. In a ball-andbccket jcintof the class described, a socket member provided with trunuions upon its sides, in combination with a ring mounted upon saidtrunnions and 'provided with other trunnions projecting outwardly and at right angles thereto, a ball member seated witl'iin said socket member, and arms connected with the ball member and extending from said ball member into engagement with the trunnions upon said rings, substantially as described.

5. In a ball-and-socket joint ofthe class described a socket member, in combination with a ring pivoted upon said socket member to swing upon an axiscoincident with the cenitcr ofsaid socket member, a ball member-and with a ball member insaidsocket, a ring or yoke pivoted upon said socket member, and anadjustable yoke provided on said ball member connected with said" ring at right angles to the aXisof said r'pg, substantiallyas described. I I

'7. In aball-arid-socket joint of th'e'class described, a socket member providedwith p 4 trunnions upon its sides,incornbination'with Having thus described my invention, I

openings and pressed upon'thc trunnions of' said socket, other trunnions upon-said'rin'g, a

on I 30 ball member anda yoke of malleable meta said member, a ring or yoke pivoted'upon' said ball member and having its arms pressed upon the trunnioos of said ring, substantially as described.

8. In a ball-and socket joint of the class described, a socket member, in combination with a ball member, a ring mounted for oscillation upon said socket'member and provided with integral trunnions and a malleable yoke provided uponsai'd ball memberand pressed :0 into en agement with the trunnions of said ring, su stantially as described.

described, a socket member having trunnions upon its sides,in combinationwith a ring pi voted upon said trun nions, a ball member having a threadedshank a yoke adjustable upon sa d shank and having arms pivoted upon said ring .at right an les to said trunnions,. substantially as descri ed.

. 101' In a ball-and-socket joint of the class described, a socket member and trunnions upon said socket. member, in combination with 'a ring pivoted upon said trunnions, trunnions upon said rim and extending-out? wardly therefrom, a bafimember, a yoke ad-' justably secured upon said ball member and pivoted u on the trunnions upon said ring, an annular rib insaid socket member, a follower and soft packin interposed between said rib a and follower, su stantially as described.

9. In a ball-and-soc'ket joint of the class I In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 4th day of April, 1905, at Chi,

' cago, county of Oook,and State of Illinois.,in f the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY. Witnesses:

EDWARD E. SILLs, J HN R. LEFEVRE. 

